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[on:]

Hi there

I'm trying to do something simple - convert analogue pin input (0 - 1023) to byte equivalent (0 - 255).

All variables declared as int.

I do this (i.e. input value x 255/1023) and all starts going strange at about value 130.

  // read potentiometer pin
  potValue = analogRead(potPin);
  Serial.print("Pin Value: ");
  Serial.println(potValue);
  // pot pin value will be from 0 - 1023
  // convert this to 0 - 255
  result = potValue * 255/1023;
  Serial.print("Result: ");
  Serial.println(result);


Pin Value: 128
Result: 31

Pin Value: 131
Result: -31

If I replace the "255 / 1023" with 0.25, then all works fine
 
result = potValue * 0.25; //255 / 1023;

Pin Value: 215
Result: 53

Now I understand that intermidiate int calcs are treated as ints, which may cause a problem with 255/1023, but 0.25 is no more an int than 255/1023?

Can anyone tell me what's up?

[Reply #1 on:]

An int can represent any integer value between -32768 and +32767

Anything outside this range wraps around.


130*255/1023.  Think about how that sum works.

130 * 255 = 33150

That's outside the amount that an int will store.

You should either use an "unsigned int" that can store between 0 and 65535, or a "long" which can store considerably more (we're talking billions here).

[Reply #2 on:]

Is there a reason you are not dividing by 4 (in other words why 255 and not 256, 1023 and not 1024?)

Code:

result = potValue / 4 ;

or with shifting right:

Code:

result = potValue >> 2 ;

Or if the slight difference matters, there is a built-in function specifically for this task:

Code:

result := map (potValue, 0, 1023, 0, 255) ;

http://arduino.cc/en/Reference/map

[Reply #3 on:]

I'm trying to do something simple - convert analogue pin input (0 - 1023) to byte equivalent (0 - 255).

So why are you going about it in such a complicated way?
0..1023 represents a span of ten bits.
0..255  represents a span of eight bits.

1023 / 2² = ?

[Reply #4 on:]

Code:

result := map (potValue, 0, 1023, 0, 255) ;

Have we got our Pascal head on ?   

[Reply #5 on:]

Sorry, = not := (and its Spin, not Pascal, in fact!)

[Reply #6 on:]

130*255/1023.  Think about how that sum works.

130 * 255 = 33150

That's outside the amount that an int will store.

Ah. Ok.    Thanks.

Thanks for the input guys - as for the why not divide by 4, I saw the 1023 and decided it would not quite be 4.  doh.

[Reply #7 on:]

Is this behaviour (intermediate calcs being influenced by data type of variable) just Arduino, or is it C?  Damn sure this has never happened to me in years of Java..?

[Reply #8 on:]

Mostly C, I'd say, with a smidgin of AVR - it is all to do with the platform and the default size of an "int".

[Reply #9 on:]

Mostly AVR.  it's one of the few platforms where an int is only 16 bits.

[Reply #10 on:]

Is this behaviour (intermediate calcs being influenced by data type of variable) just Arduino, or is it C?  Damn sure this has never happened to me in years of Java..?

C/C++ have that issue everywhere... Just try this anywhere =)

Code:

int foo = 20;
int bar = 35;
float baz = 0.0;

baz = foo / bar;